After Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan earned their maiden call-ups to the Indian national team, vice-captain Rohit Sharma stressed on the importance of playing without any pressure when they take on England in a Twenty20 series.
Kishan and Suryakumar were named in the squad after plundering 516 and 480 runs respectively in the Indian Premier League last season, where the pair played under Rohit for the Mumbai Indians as they clinched their fifth title in November.
"I don't want them to be thinking about anything," Rohit told reporters on Wednesday. "That's how they bring their best performance out.
"Having watched them closely for a few years now, I've realised it's important for them to be part of this wonderful team, a great setup... I just want them to have fun and understand what this team is all about.
"These guys have done really well in the last few years, especially the last year. It's just about carrying that form and putting it out there. It's not going to be that easy here, they will be challenged every now and then."
For England, it's a much-awaited return to the squad for all-rounder Liam Livingstone who had similar success in Australia's Big Bash League where he scored 426 runs for Perth Scorchers.
"For the first time in my career I feel like I belong in this environment and it's good to be back," Livingstone, who last played a T20 international in June 2017, said.
"I was pretty immature before and I'm a much different person now and even more so as a player.
"The Big Bash is such an exciting competition. That's the reason we play these franchise competitions. Playing in the IPL in front of 60,000 people and playing in a Big Bash final -- these are the pressure moments you start to get used to."
All five matches are being held in Ahmedabad with the series starting on Friday.
Kajol and Twinkle Khanna respond to backlash
Kajol and Twinkle Khanna address chat show backlash in new Prime Video episode
Highlights:
The backlash around Kajol and Twinkle Khanna's show Two Much did not suddenly appear one morning. You could feel it brewing from the first few episodes through tiny comments here and there turning into bigger conversations online. The marriage bit especially set things off; one short clip, and the whole thing snowballed. In the new bonus episode, shot after filming ended, the two finally spoke about the moment after weeks of noise.
Why the Kajol Twinkle Khanna backlash picked up so fast
The show ran on loose talk, quick lines, and a lot of teasing. It worked early on. Then came the episode with Vicky Kaushal and Kriti Sanon, where Kajol said marriages should have an expiry date and maybe even a renewal.
From there, it only grew. Another episode with Janhvi Kapoor and Karan Johar brought the debate on infidelity back into circulation. Kajol, Twinkle, and Karan said physical cheating was not a deal breaker for them. Janhvi pushed back and viewers argued for days. The backlash stuck, partly because clips were lifted out of context and partly because celebrity comments carry weight, even when framed as jokes.
How Kajol and Twinkle explained themselves
In the bonus episode, Kajol did not pretend everything was normal. She opened the segment with a half-laugh and said, “Now it’s time for our next segment, which has gotten us into a lot of trouble.” It sounded like a joke, but it was not entirely one. There was a slight crack of irritation or maybe tiredness underneath.
Twinkle followed with a straight note; they should have had a disclaimer from episode one. “Nothing we say in this segment should be taken seriously,” she said. “Please do not follow any of our advice.”
Both insisted the tone was always meant to be playful. Not expert talk. Not life lessons. Just two women poking fun at how people think about marriage, relationships, and the messy bits in between.
- YouTube youtu.be
What this means for the show now
Prime Video dropped the bonus episode with Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma in a way that almost felt strategic, like a small reset button to cool the temperature without actually issuing a statement or apology.
And honestly, the guest list this season was stacked in a very “this should be safe” way: Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Sonakshi Sinha, Janhvi Kapoor. Big names, familiar energy. Nobody expected the backlash to come from them. It came from the little throwaway lines Kajol and Twinkle said around them.
What is next for Kajol and Twinkle?
No word yet on season two. Both seemed unfazed in the episode, almost amused by how far the clips travelled. They did not promise changes either. Just a note that their humour was not meant to be instruction.
Kajol ended the segment with a small smile. Twinkle nodded along. And that is where it sat. Two women, a chat show, and a storm they did not expect but chose to address head-on before signing off.